This application is a continuation-in-part of the earlier patent application entitled “Collapsible Display Stand”, Ser. No. 10/235,108, filed Sep. 4, 2002, now pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to a collapsible, free-standing, display stand for displaying panels, which may have designs thereon, such as banners. It relates more particularly to adjustable display stands.
2. Background
Display stands are used extensively at trade shows, conventions, and other gatherings to present images for advertising and informational purposes. The images are usually printed on flexible panels, such as reinforced paper, and are held in the desired display position by the display stand.
Users of display stands often travel from trade show to trade show to advertise their goods and services. Users must carry their display stands from place to place and set up and tear down their displays frequently. Different trade show locations may offer different limitations on available floor space and best viewing angle. Consequently, users want lightweight, easy-to-assemble, adjustable, inexpensive, display stands.
The collapsible display stand of U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,705 to LaMotte uses bowed, telescopically connected cross struts to hold a banner in tension. Telescopic connections involve sliding a narrowed end of a first tube into an end of a second tube. Tubes are placed in end sleeves of a banner or similar display, and specially designed pin ends of the cross struts are inserted in specially designed end caps at the ends of the tubes, thus holding the banner in tension. The design is similar to tents using exterior telescopically connected crossed struts to hold up the tent, but with the tent removed and a banner in place of the tent floor. To erect the banner, a vertical support member connects at a top end to a strap around the crossing point of the struts. The bottom end of the vertical support member connects to the first ends of two base support members. The second ends of the two base support members connect to the end caps at the ends of the bottom tube. This forms a rigid triangular base that rests flat on the ground to support the banner stand. The tilt of the banner off vertical is adjusted by sliding the crossing-point strap on the struts. The first ends of the base support members and the bottom end of the vertical support member remain directly connected to each other and the second ends of the base support members and the end caps at the ends of the bottom tube remain directly connected to each other throughout adjustment of the tilt without any relative positional movement.
The detailed design of the connectors between the struts and the tubes adds to the cost of the LaMotte device. Also, the fixed triangular base prevents adjusting the base for horizontal display of a banner. Finally, for placement, the configuration of the flat triangular base requires that all of the base pieces be coupled at their respective ends and that the second ends of the base support members and the end caps at the ends of the bottom tube remain directly connected to each other throughout adjustment of the tilt without any relative positional movement. This means that in order for the stand to stay erect, the floor must be substantially clear of obstacles (cabling, hoses, other equipment) in the area of the base.
Accordingly, what is needed is a collapsible display stand that is inexpensive to construct, has adjustable display angles, is adaptable to vertical or horizontal use with the same structural members, and can be placed in a stable configuration on an uneven surface.